The fly

By mistake, I knocked over a piece of pottery onto a glass mug and the mug broke. This is one of those “commemorative” mugs you get when you go somewhere and attend some event. However, this one has some history.
I got this mug, from a friend, when we attended an event together. But the circumstances surrounding the event ended badly, and I kept it (though tempted to break it) in anger as a reminder. As the years passed on, the wounds of the broken friendship began to heal, and I began to forgive. Because I missed my friend, and had valued the conversations and insight our friendship had provided.

We began to communicate again, and it appeared that things were progressing to a point where maybe, just maybe, I could consider us friends once again.
But that was a false hope, as communication became more and more one-sided and I got frustrated at the 180 turn about, once again. I stated plainly that I was tired of the lopsidedness and walked away.

So I look at this glass mug, which traveled across time zones and states, to meet an ignoble end at the butt of a 7th grade pottery piece, falling on it as I tried to smack a fly. And I see the physical embodiment of the end a friendship, which, like the mug, met an ignoble end.

I do not regret the friendship. It was full of ups and downs; I learned a lot about people, how I interact with them, and some very valuable lessons about interpersonal relationships.

However, even optimists eventually see the writing on the wall. We just try a couple extra times before doing so. C’est la vie.

Time to Jump

So… today’s my 30th birthday, and I am in my parents’ house, waiting for another major shift in my life.

I think the 20s were a decade of changes and searching. Discovering that my goal of being a professor was a goal that I pursued for so long, and yet was totally not what I expected or wanted; graduation, KG’s death, revolving and evolving relationships….. I’m hoping that history doesn’t repeat itself that I’ve actually learned something from the tumult.

But it’s also interesting that the age people snicker about and consider to a milestone in one’s life is in fact, a milestone. (There’s truth in them tales, eh?) This is the year that I’m truly leaving academia and engineering for something completely different. And I’ve got butterflies.

They are the same butterflies that I had, standing on a cliff side in Santa Rosa, NM, about to jump into clear, dark blue 62 degree water in the middle of the desert. And now, I’m making a massive career change, not knowing where it’ll take me or how it’ll go or end. Time to jump.

FS Update: Apparently, I know how to speak Korean

Just found out that I passed the phone test for Korean, but they wouldn’t disclose the score. Passing is a 2/5 using the ILR scoring system. Now my score is a 5.7 (5.3 + 0.4 language bonus) which would put me a little higher on the register when I actually get on it. (think positive! 😛 )

So… back to waiting for security….

More of the Potomac…

Paddling from Thompson’s Boat Center, past Georgetown and back. Aug 1, 2009. A great day – nice, upper 80’s, partially cloudy. 🙂
Two hours on the water followed by a great burger at Five Guys… nice way to start off a Saturday.

End of the trip!

FS Update: Korean language test

Tuesday (Aug 4th) was also the Korean language test. Just speaking, over the phone. Passing with a 2/5 proficiency would give me an extra 0.4 on my ranking, which would allow me to get off the roster for training faster. (once I get ON the roster after all the clearances and the suitability review are finished)
The scale that the Foreign Service uses is here.

My language test was about 30 minutes long and run by two examiners; one speaking in English and the other in Korean. The English speaking examiner was the one giving the instructions and listening in to my conversation with the Korean speaking examiner. There were three separate sections. The first was free conversation. The second was a directed conversation about a given topic. And the third was an interview style, where I had to ask the Korean speaking examiner questions about a given topic, and then report back the results in English to the English speaking examiner. That’s it. Apparently I can call in to find out my results in about a week.

FS Update: detangled!

As of Tuesday, I got cleared for a Class 1 worldwide medical clearance. This means that I have no restrictions to where I could be posted due to medical reasons. Whee!

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FS Update: Detangling the snag

Following up on the medical clearance snag, I called State again to see what exactly was going on. Turns out there is a fantastic nurse who decided that this was a a situation where protocol adherence was a little *too* strict and is basically helping me take care of this. {happy dance} So, as the Dr who’s in charge of my case is on vacation, she’s taking my file to the Medical Director for review. Plus, since my gynecologist’s office is writing a letter (and faxing it today!) supporting that this cyst is a non-issue with no need for treatment, it (crossing my fingers) looks like this will get cleared up in the next couple of days.